My hand reached for the doorknob.

I think you should clean it out. He had said. I bet you don't even need half of it. I think It'd be good. Cleaning relieves stress. Or so I've heard.

Stress? What stress?

Paaassstttaaa!

Ludwig! Ludwig! A hug. Give me a hug!

Ah… I'm so hungry! Ludwig. Share your wurst with me!

I will do what Italians do best! Surrender and plead for forgiveness!

Oh yeah. That stress…

Sigh…

Well, Roderich did have a point. Maybe cleaning would relieve me of my frustration.

And I do enjoy cleanliness.

So I decided that I would clean out my cellar.

I opened the door at the bottom of the stairs. Though the cellar was dark, the light from the main house illuminated the dust that floated in the air. I pulled on the chain hanging from the ceiling. The light flickered on.

I looked around, in awe at how much stuff was in here. Boxes upon boxes were stacked on top of each other. There were items from the span of my life. Old clothing lay in an open box, toys from when I was young were in another. Books and photo albums sat in a stack in the corner. I picked up a single photograph, and dusted it off. The young, smiling faces of Gilbert and mine's permanently imprinted upon it.

I sorted through the items, picking out what to keep, what to throw away, and what could be given away.

I went towards the back of the room, when I kicked something. I looked down to see a wooden pole sticking out from between boxes.

I picked it up.

Attached to the end of the wooden pole was a deck brush head. The bristles well worn from use.

Why would I have an old deck brush?

"Italy. I'm sorry… For everything. But this is goodbye, so don't worry. Take care of yourself."

"You're leaving? No way. No way, Holy Roman Empire! No! Let me give you this! Take it, and always think of me."

"Well then in return, at your house, what do you do with people you like?"

"Kiss… I guess…"

"I… See… You know, Italy, I've loved you since the 900s."

"R-really?"

"Really. And when the war's over, I promise I'll return to you! For sure!"

"Then I'll wait! I'll be waiting. And take care of yourself! Let's be sure to meet again! For sure!"

"No matter how many years pass, I'll love you the most of anyone in this world!"

Italy… He had given it to me… So many years ago… He'd given it to me as a gift, and I forgot.

I forgot how important it was to me! I forgot how important he was to me!

The one I had vowed to always love, gave it to me, and I forgot. I forgot everything.

Veneciano…

I can't believe I thought he was a girl all those years…

I held the deck brush in my arms. Like I did when I first received it. My face was hot, and there was a lump in my throat. I felt the tears streaming down my face.